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VERDICT

Demolition Dash reduces the whole 'monster on a rampage' idea down to the street level, giving the game a cute, if somewhat insubstantial, charm.

Full Review

App Store Info

Sometimes it's easy to pre-judge and potentially dismiss a game just because it doesn't 'look good', but there's an evil flip-side to this kind of thinking that results in 'style over substance'. Demolition Dash by dreamfab is a visually impressive title that packages the basic gameplay of an endless platformer with visual flair, but it all feels skin deep.

Now and then gamers get the opportunity to wreak havoc in a city ala Godzilla, but in Demolition Dash things are scaled back - a lot. 'Zilla' is a happy-go-lucky monster on a somewhat casual stroll around the world and despite his diminuative size, he packs a big punch as he ploughs through vehicles and roars to destroy just about everything that isn't nailed down. With this much destruction it's no surprise that the police want to stop him, but they can either be avoided or blasted like everything else. Although the levels are rather quick, pitfalls are plenty and Zilla is given four 'lives' as indicated by pieces of his tail falling off, with the occasional power-up also adding to his survivability.

At a casual glance it's hard not to be impressed by the almost painting-like quality of the 2D graphics in Demolition Dash. The detail given over to the graphics is extensive and most of the level is destructable (barring backgrounds and areas you walk on), making it easy to feel like a rampaging monster. Unfortunately the speed at which you travel, along with the amount of debris thrown up, makes it hard to concentrate on the action as your eye is constantly drawn away from hazards. Thankfully the police are announced with audio clips before they're seen and flashing lights make them easier to identify within the blur of action.

While you could easily rampage your way through each city, the real challenge of Demolition Dash is in completing each stage's 'objective' of either destroying certain objects, collecting certain objects or beating a minimum score. Strangely despite its basic gameplay there's no 'endless' mode currently available, though it is being promised for later updates.

If destruction and mayhem is something you crave and you like showing off your games to friends, this one is for you, but if you need something with a bit more meat on its bones this might fail to satisfy.

Description

★★★ AWARDED BEST HANDHELD-GAME OF 2011 AT THE GERMAN DEVELOPER AWARDS ★★★

“Demolition Dash looks outstanding. The level of detail that’s gone into the artwork here is exceptional. The visuals are brimming with personality, and the audio is a perfect match too. Each city absolutely comes to life.” – gamezebo.com

“Nearly everything in Demolition Dash is destructible. We’re talking billboards, cars, balloons, and tons of other location-dependent items. Your score is, therefore, based on how much havoc you cause … The colourful graphics, funny characters, and easy-to-learn gameplay make it appropriate for gamers of all ages.” – pocketgamer.co.uk

Demolition Dash is a unique platformer with stunning new gameplay features. Take control of the tiny monster Zilla and annihilate everything in sight on your way through eight famous cities. Avoid dangerous obstacles by jumping, and destroy all objects and enemies around you with Zilla’s mighty roar. Get Zilla on your iPhone and let your destructive urges run wild!

HIGHLIGHTS:
√ Two game modes guarantee hours of lasting fun – World Rampage, with 24 stages, and now: Endless Run
√ All-new training mode: casual, relaxed pace for both newbies and connoisseurs!
√ Control Zilla with just two buttons – easy to play but challenging to master!
√ Physics-based destruction: smash everything in the cities to bits
√ Amazing graphics with Retina Display support
√ High-quality sound effects with matching music in each city
√ Support for Game Center and OpenFeint achievements, online high score lists, and detailed game stats
√ Supported languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian – little Zilla is a cosmopolitan!

What's New in Version 2.1

☛ Note this app is not designed for, and will not run on these older devices: iPhone 2G, iPhone 3G, iPod touch 1G, 2G and 3G (8GB or less)
☛ Questions about Demolition Dash? We’re here to help! If you have any problems, please contact our support team at http://www.dreamfab.com/contact

WHAT’S NEW IN VERSION 2.1:
√ Level generator optimized to increase variety in the Endless Run
√ Fixed some little bugs with achievements

WHAT’S NEW in VERSION 2.0.1:
√ Fine-tuned the speed increase in the Endless Run
√ Fixed the posting of Endless Run highscores to Game Center and OpenFeint – no posting of 0 highscores anymore!

WHAT’S NEW IN VERSION 2.0:
√ Endless Run mode with 6 new achievements for even more gaming fun: a different game every time you play!
√ All-new training mode
√ Detailed game stats
√ OpenFeint support
√ Additional languages: French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian
√ Improved in-game camera as well as other minor improvements and bug fixes